Not to burst your bubble (pun intended), but always keep in mind that
planning a water landing, pulling the trigger and having inly ONE float
deploy gets exciting REALLY fast. I have seen that happen in the East River
in N.Y.C.. Upside down is an ABSOLUTE.


Island Helicopters? Pulled out my scapbook and have an incident with a
206L N16959, where the ship ditched by
the Manhattan Bridge with pilot on 5 tourists on board. Landed safely, floats
deployed but then flipped over after everyone got out safely.
In Feb 1990 an Island 206L went down after take-off and for some reason the
floats werent even activated. A young boy on board was trapped when the ship
flipped over in the water and he expired.
But on the positive side a Dauphin went down and stayed afoat when the floats
activated as did another 206L.
Boy, Island sure had a number of accidents/incidents didnt they? No wonder
they went bankrupt. Their insurance rates must have been astronomical.
But I loved Island as I took my FIRST helicopter ride with them and many more
after that. Heck, sat in the front seat a few times (after jockeying for
position by knocking peiple away, LOL). Flew in the 206L, Dauphin and the
S-58T airport shuttle as me and my wife of now 20 years departed 34st to JFK
enroute to Honolulu.
Ah, thems were da days!!

Gerard